The New York Jets could be looking to replace one of their faces of the franchise on offense.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report listed the Jets as a top landing spot for Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
Etienne, 26, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“Running back is one area the Jets may need to shore up with a top-flight free agent. Although Gang Green already has a good back in Breece Hall, the four-year veteran may be on his way out this offseason after testing the open market,” Kay explained.
“Hall will be on the radar for many RB-needy franchises following his first 1,000-yard rushing season. He was one of the few bright spots during the team’s dismal 4-13 campaign, one that could lead Hall to sign elsewhere after he admitted his frustrations with consistently missing the playoffs. Being snubbed by his peers during voting for the team’s MVP award at the end of the season probably won’t help convince Hall to return either,” Kay added.
Etienne Is a Special Talent
“Etienne could be an ideal Hall replacement. The team has serious aspirations to finally snap the league’s longest active playoff drought in 2026 and may not want to chance handing the backfield over to a less-proven back. Etienne is not only a similarly skilled player to Hall, but he’s also a veteran who just helped lead a stunning year-over-year turnaround for a long-suffering franchise,” Kay wrote in a column for B/R.
The former Clemson product entered the league as the No. 25 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Etienne has appeared in 66 games and has made 60 starts during his career. He has toted the rock 897 times for 3,798 rushing yards. Etienne has averaged 4.2 yards per carry and has scored 25 touchdowns on the ground.
The dynamic playmaker is also a weapon through the air. He has registered 168 receptions for 1,338 receiving yards and has scored seven touchdowns in the receiving game.
Jets Can Get Etienne at a Discount?!
What should the Jets do at running back? Keep Hall, whom they have had for four years? Or change it up and find someone else on the open market?
According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Hall is expected to command $10.4 million per year on the open market. That annual figure would rank No. 9th among the highest paid running backs in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Interestingly, Etienne could be had at a significant discount according to those same projections.
Etienne is expected to command just $6.8 million per year in free agency, per Spotrac. That annual sum would rank No. 18th among the highest paid RBs in the league, per Over The Cap.
That is an absolutely massive pay gap between those two players. I’m sorry, what?
Hall has 5,040 career yards from scrimmage. Etienne has 5,136 career yards from scrimmage.
So the Jets could get the better player for a cheaper rate? Alrighty then.
To try to understand the logic, it must all be about the age game. Hall is 24 but will turn 25 before the start of the 2026 season. Etienne is 26 but will turn 27 before the start of next season.
Essentially, Etienne is two years older than Hall. That is two fewer years of tread on the tire. Besides that fun fact, it really doesn’t make any sense.
Jets Listed as a Top Landing Spot for 25-TD Dynamic Playmaker